530 OCEAN TO OCEAN ON HORSEBACK. 



forest root for ground-nuts.'* The golden product of 

 1848, was 110,000,000; 1849, $40,000,000; and that 

 of 1853, $65,000,000. 



Silver mining has been attempted in many localities 

 in the State, but generally with poor results. There 

 are valuable deposits of iron ore, coal, copper, tin, 

 platinum, manganese, asphalt, petroleum, lead and 

 zinc. Fruits are abundant, of great size, and are sold 

 in all the Eastern markets. 



The constitution of California requires a free school 

 to be supported in each district six months in each 

 year, and the system includes primary and grammar 

 schools, high schools, evening schools, normal schools, 

 technical schools, and the State University, which is 

 free to both sexes, and is a perpetual public trust. 

 The schools of California are justly famous. 



Upper California was discovered in 1538 by a Span- 

 ish navigator. In 1578, Sir Francis Drake visited it 

 and gave it the name of New Albion. The Spaniards 

 planted the first colony in 1768. The territory was 

 purchased from Mexico by the United States in 1847 

 for $15,000,000. A constitution was adopted in the 

 same year, and in 1850, California, without ever hav- 

 ing been under a territorial government, was admitted 

 into the Union as a State. 



The progress of California has been of the most 

 substantial character. Gold mining has become a 

 staple industry, but in the agricultural capabilities of 

 her soil lie the possibilities of her greatest wealth. 

 Among the most valuable of her industries in the 

 future will be those of the orchard and the vineyard. 

 The grape growers of the State can now sell their 

 grapes with as much certainty as the farmer his wheat. 



